


Cherry and Friends and The Black Cauldron

by PerkyGoth14



Category: The Black Cauldron (1985)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29015853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: After their quest to Camelot, Atticus, Cherry, Mo, and Lionel are sent on another adventure in The Middle Ages. This time, they must help new friends Taran and Princess Eilonwy recover The Black Cauldron before the evil and nefarious Horned King can get his hands on it. Originally titled: Cherry, Atticus, Lionel, and Mo, and The Black Cauldron. Read and review and enjoy!





	1. Chapter 1

When we last left our heroes, they had helped defeat a renegade knight named Ruber and saved the life of King Arthur of Camelot; now they are in the land of Prydain, to help a young boy named Taran in what will most likely be the hardest task of his life... The group soon looked among their new surroundings as they were suddenly whisked away into a brand new adventure.

"Welcome to Prydain!" Drell told them with a carefree smile. "I'm proud of you for helping out Camelot like you did."

"Heh... No problem..." Cherry muttered. "So... This was before _you_ were born?"

"Yep," Drell replied. "I wasn't even a thought. Can you imagine a world where I didn't exist?"

"I'd like to see that." Cherry grinned a bit mischievously.

"We can check that out later," said Lionel. "Big mega-heavy quest, remember?"

"Right. Right." Cherry muttered.

"Shouldn't be too far off now," Drell told them as he led them along. "I guess it's better this way than me sending you in one of Zelda's inventions and having to stay behind to operate the machine."

"Think you can tell us a quick little backstory?" Cherry asked.

"Well, I guess I could do that," Drell said before clearing his throat. "Ahem! Legend has it, in the mystic land of Prydain. There was once a king so cruel, and so evil, that even the gods feared him. Since no prison could hold him, he was thrown alive into a crucible of molting iron. There his demonic spirit was captured, in the form of a great black cauldron. For uncounted centuries The Black Cauldron lay hidden, while evil men searched for it. Knowing whoever possessed it, would have the power to resurrect an army of deathless warriors. And with them, rule the world."

"Whoa... Cool voice," Lionel exclaimed. "Very Lord of the Rings-esque."

"Thank you," Drell crossed his arms as his voice changed from narrating that before he cleared his throat and sprayed some throat spray in his mouth. "I think I might be catching a bug though."

"Are we there yet?" Patch asked.

"We'll know it when we see it." Drell replied.

* * *

They soon walked along for a bit, ending up in some sort of countryside and soon looked over to see what looked like a little cottage.

"Well, there it is, kids." Drell then pointed out for them.

"Perfectly fitting for a town in the Middle Ages." Darla noted.

"You're not scared, are ya, Dimples?" Cherry smirked.

"Of course not," Darla replied calmly. "After all, I've faced worse with the Sailor Guardians," she then shivered slightly. "Just so long as I don't have to end up meeting Mistress 9."

A question mark popped up over Lionel. "...Who?" he asked.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't really know her either since I hadn't met her yet," Darla replied. "They say she's the Sovereign of Silence... The Dark Messiah... The Messiah of Silence... She sounds like she could be worse than Queen Beryl."

"This broad sounds like a whole carton of rotten eggs," Lionel replied. "We got your back, kid."

"Thanks," Darla said. "I guess I'll see the next time I see Serena and the others."

The group nodded from that as they continued to travel together.

"Um, sir, is that it?" Cherry asked, pointing to an upcoming place.

"That's right, Cherry." Drell nodded as he recognized the place instantly.

"Ah... I take it this is familiar to you?" asked Atticus.

"Well, mostly from my parents' books." Drell replied.

"Hard to believe you weren't alive in this time." Cherry remarked.

"Atticus's father knows a pretty big deal of it too," Drell then said before knocking on the door. "In fact, your target might seem a little familiar when you meet him."

The others wondered what he could had meant by that.

* * *

**_Inside the cottage..._ **

"There's something wrong!" An elderly man said which woke up his tomcat who soon yawned and stretched, coming down at him. "I can feel it in my bones. Hmm... The Fair Folk know it too. You don't see any of them around! The Horned King! That black-hearted devil! What's he waiting for?"

The tomcat then jumped in front of him and meowed.

"Yes, yes, Cat, I know you want your breakfast!" The man told his tomcat. "But just now THINKING is more important!" he then heard the knocking and looked over. "Ah, yes, yes, come in. Come in."

"Ah... Thank you." said Atticus as he and the others stepped inside.

"Um, good morning," The man greeted them. "What can I do for you?"

"Excuse me, Mr. Dallben, these are my personal students," Drell introduced. "Atticus, Cherry, Mo, Lionel, and Darla. They were wondering if they could meet Taran."

The group looked confused at first, but went along with it since it was part of their adventure/mission.

"Ah, yes, yes, he should be taking care of a certain someone for me, he was around earlier though..." The man named Dallben replied, looking around before looking by the window as in the fireplace, a pot seemed to be boiling over. "Oh,Taran! The pot is boiling over, Taran!" He soon saw Taran staring out the window, lost in a daydream.

"Oh, Dallben, I was just thinking..." said the boy. "What if the war's over, and I never had a chance to fight?"

Dallben was now looking at old maps. "Hmm... And a good thing too," he replied. "War isn't a game, people get hurt!"

Cherry looked between Taran and Atticus as she felt like she was seeing double somehow.

"So, that's Taran." Atticus remarked to himself.

"Yes," Drell smirked. "I think you two have a lot in common."

"But I'm not afraid!-Ouch!" Taran glared, reaching his hand out in protest, only to touch the boiling pot, burning his finger.

"So he's one of Atticus' ancestors?" asked Lionel. "Not surprised..."

"Oh, good, I thought maybe I hit my head in the time-space continuum or something." Cherry said, clutching her head a bit since she noticed that Taran and Atticus looked similar in appearance.

"Aha! There you are!" Dallben chuckled to the boy. "If the Horned King ever returned you'll have a great deal more to worry about than a burned finger."

Taran soon scooped out a spoonful of whatever Dallben was cooking, smelled it, and quickly turned his face away in disgust. He then set it in a small bowl. The cat, hoping it was for him, attempted to eat it and turned away in disgust, too.

"No, no, no, no," Dallben told his pet. "Cat that is not for you, it's for Hen Wen."

"Hen Wen, Hen Wen, it's _always_ Hen Wen!" Taran complained.

"And one day, my boy, you may learn why," said Dallben. "Now, no more dreaming, you have chores to do."

"Yes, sir..." Taran said, disappointed, and he set off to feed Hen Wen.

Dallben sighed. "He's so anxious, and so blind to the dangers ahead..."

"I think I know what ya mean." Cherry replied with a glance to Atticus.

"Hey!" Atticus glared. "I don't blindly run into danger!"

"You've always been impulsive when it comes to adventures," Cherry smirked. "Sometimes I wonder how we're even still alive today."

"...At least I try to do something," Atticus replied. "Half the time you just run away!"

"Hey-hey, be civil, you two," Lionel urged. "We're in a guest's house."

The two muttered to each other then like bickering siblings.

"Let's go meet this Hen Wen." Lionel suggested, going out with them.

"Okay..." Cherry and Atticus replied, going after along with Mo and Darla while Drell stayed put.

"Look, look, Cat you're in luck!" Dallben soon beamed as he checked the pot. "Just enough left for you!"

"Lucky you." Drell smirked to the cat who felt a bit unlucky in comparison.

The cat backed off.

* * *

Meanwhile, Taran was outside, moping around about what little he had in life. "Dallben wouldn't understand... I'm not a little boy anymore!" he griped as he kicked a stick, and walked over to the flock of geese and trampled across the bridge. He then kicked open the gate to Hen Wen's pen. "I should be doing heroic deeds for Prydain! Not waiting hand and foot on a spoiled-Hey!"

The bowl was shoved back out from the barrel right at his feet.

"I guess Hen Wen doesn't like it." Cherry shrugged.

"Oh, alright, Hen, I didn't mean it." Taran soon laughed.

A small cute pig came out of the barrel and look at the food.

"You'd better eat it," Taran told the pig, revealing it to be Hen Wen. "Dallben made it especially for you."

Hen Wen then took a bite, and swallowed hard, and backed away from the food.

"So, Taran, you wanna be a hero?" Atticus asked.

"Yes... More than anything, but Dallben doesn't understand." Taran replied.

"Um... Well... Can't you talk to your parents about this?" Darla then wondered.

"I don't have any," said Taran. "Dallben is all I have."

"Whoof... Harsh, man." replied Lionel.

"Did I do something wrong?" Darla asked in concern.

"It's okay, Darla, you didn't know." Mo soothed.

"Is this to be my life?" Taran huffed. "Pampering a pig! I'm a warrior, not an Pig-Keeper. Dallben thinks I'd be afraid, but I wouldn't. All I need is, is, is a chance! And I could be a famous warrior!" he then walked out of the pen with Hen Wen and the others following, then saw a stick and picked it up, pretending that it was a sword. "Look at me, guys! I can do it! Ha!"

"Oh, Sir Taran!" Atticus greeted as he bowed.

"Truly, your greatness is boundless!" Lionel added as he took a bow as well.

"No, no, we're not worthy." Darla said with a curtsy.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Taran laughed. "Even you're afraid!" he then turned to the geese. "You challenge me? Run, you cowards!"

The geese soon ran off in a fright.

"See, guys?" Taran smiled as he had fun.

"Yeah, we see." Lionel chuckled.

A goat soon came out and then looked at Taran.

"There you are!" Taran smirked to the goat. "His Majesty the Horned King! So, we meet at last! Ha!" he then took his stick and rattled it between the goat's horns with a laugh.

"Just take it from me, Taran," Atticus advised. "War is Hell."

"He's right," Lionel nodded. "I've never been, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Well, I'd still like to go." Taran replied.

"I'm sure you do." Atticus said calmly.

"Even The Horned King shakes with fear!" Taran laughed to the goat. "See, guys? EVERYBODY runs from the famous Taran of Caer Dallben!"

Hen Wen then squealed when she saw the goat ready to butt Taran.

The goat succeeded in doing so and sent Taran and Hen Wen flying through the mud, while the geese 'laugh' at them.

"Prydain's finest warrior, draws his last breath!" Taran gasped as he began to cough before collapsing on the ground.

"Oh, no." Darla said in concern.

Lionel discreetly pointed at Taran, lifting him out of the mud and spin-drying him quickly.

Taran hid a small smirk as he got to have some fun until a large shadow came over him and the group. "Dallben!"

"Hmm... Not quite the blade for a hero!" Dallben remarked.

"I was... It's just we were... Uh, Hen Wen got dirty!" Taran stammered as he tossed his stick away and began to brush the mud off Hen Wen.

"So I see," Dallben replied. "Another dream, Taran?"

"But, Dalben!" Taran cried out as he brushed mud off of his own face. "Won't I ever be anything but an Assistant Pig-Keeper?"

" She's a _special_ pig, Taran!" Dallben said as he rubbed Hen Wen's belly. "Now give her a nice bath!"

"A special pig?" Cherry commented. "I guess she's 'Some Pig'."

"That's a little further." said Lionel.

Taran sighed as he picked Hen up and carried her to the basin where she had her baths. "Well Hen, it looks like I'll still be an Assistant Pig-Keeper, even when I'm as old as Dallben," he remarked. He set her down, and poured a bucket of water on her. "You like that, don't you?" he then asked as he began to scrub Hen Wen's back. "Now for the part you like best..."

Hen Wen then settled herself down, but a concerned look soon overcame her face, then that face turned to terror. Hen Wen jumped up, and squealed madly.

"Whoa! What's gotten into her?" Darla wondered.

"Hey, c'mon, Hen, I haven't finished scrubbing your back-" Taran told the pig only for her to sprawl and squeal crazily like she was freaking out over something. "Hen, what's the matter? Calm down, Hen! Stop it! Please what's the matter?! Hen Wen!"

"Taran!" Dallben called out, opening the shutters of the cottage because of the noise. "What's going on?!"

"I-I don't know!" Taran replied. "There's something wrong with Hen Wen!"

"WHAT?!" Dallben sounded frightened now. "Oh, quickly, lad, bring her inside!"

* * *

Inside the cottage, Dallben lit a candle and set it next to a basin filled with water.

"What's that for?" asked Taran.

"Put Hen Wen down," instructed Dallben. "I never use her powers unless I have to. But now I must!"

Taran and the others looked confused. "Powers?"

Dallben turned to them. "Taran, what you all are about to see, you must never reveal to ANYONE!" he instructed.

He plunged his oak staff into the water and recited these magic words: "Hen Wen, from you I do beseech...Knowledge that lies beyond my reach...Troubled thoughts weigh on your heart...Pray you now those thoughts impart..."

Hen Wen looked a bit dizzy. She dropped her snout into the water and images appeared.

Dallben read the images. "The Horned King..." he whispered. Taran gasped and stifled a cry. "Shh. Don't interfere!" he turned back to the images. "He's searching... The Black Cauldron! So that's it!"

Taran looked baffled. "The Black Cauldron?"

"An awesome weapon, Taran!" Dallben explained. "It's been hidden for centuries, _but_ if the Horned King should find it, and unleash It's power. NOTHING could stand against him."

Taran looked at the images and gasped in surprise. "It's Hen Wen!" he exclaimed.

Dallben realized something horrible. "He knows..." he turned to Hen Wen. "Stop! Enough!" he told her.

Hen Wen quickly backed away from the water. Dallben was more frightened than ever.

"Man, this Horned King guy must really like bacon or something." Darla commented.

"Hen Wen is more than a mere pig," Drell replied. "Stop laughing, Cherry."

"I didn't say anything." Cherry defended.

"Oh, I expected you to compare me to the pig," Drell said, scratching his head then. "Anyway, you guys should go with Taran to hide Hen Wen."

"Huh... Sounds like a plan." Lionel replied.

"But, uh, where do we go?" Cherry asked. "Where will we go?"

"You must leave here at once!" Dallben urged Taran and the other kids. "Take Hen Wen to the hidden cottage at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Hide there, never bring her out, until I come for you!"

"Hide?" Taran then asked. "But why?"

"Only I knew the secret of Hen Wen's power, but now the Horned King has discovered it!" Dallben replied urgently. "You must make sure he never uses it to find the Black Cauldron!"

"Right... Keep-away for the fate of the world?" asked Lionel. "I think I can dig it!"

"This sounds pretty intense." Cherry commented.

"Sorry, Cherry, but you know my rules," Drell smirked. "You can't back out now if you're apart of the problem."

"But this Horned King guy!" Cherry replied. "He sounds scarier than you and King Sombra put together!"

"Big deal," shrugged Lionel. "We've faced a literal monster who devoured planets like popcorn!"

"Yeah!" Drell smirked. "Why you chickening out, Cherry? I thought you were brave and bold like Batman."

"I guess just imagining what this Horned King guy is working me up a little bit." Cherry replied.

"Look... We'll be okay, I promise," said Lionel. "When we said the vows, that was a promise we'd get through everything together, be it good or bad."

"Oh, boy..." Cherry sighed a bit.

"Hmph!" Taran huffed. "I'm not afraid of the Horned King!"

"Then you are a very foolish lad!" Dallben told Taran. "Untried courage is no match for his evil. Just remember that! Now, now off you go my boy and take care of yourself!"

"Goodbye, Dallben!" Taran replied before walking out the door with Hen Wen and his new friends. "We won't fail you!"

"So much. So soon," Dallben remarked to himself. "To rest upon his young shoulders!"

"Yep," nodded Drell. "Good luck to them all..."


	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile, Taran, the others, and Hen Wen were walking through the forest.

"A psychic pig," remarked Lionel. "And here I figured I'd seen everything."

"Gosh, Hen Wen! I never knew you could create visions and things like that," exclaimed Taran. "I thought you were just an ordinary pig. I had no idea you were so... _Special_. Dallben's going to be glad he put his trust in me! Just you wait and see!"

"Alright, buddy, let's take it easy now," Atticus said. "Let's not get too carried away."

"Besides, we've still got a long way to go." Darla added.

"You're right, guys," Taran replied as they walked Hen Wen before stopping at the stream to get a drink. "Now, don't go wandering about!" he then scolded Hen Wen. "And don't you worry! Keep close to me and no one will do you any harm. Not while I'm around."

"I knew pigs were smart, but not enough to get visions." Cherry commented to the others.

"Well, this movie _was_ made in the 80's: the decade of terrifying kids through animation," replied Lionel. "So it's gonna get a little hectic."

"And I won't let The Horned King get close to you, Hen," swore Taran. "I'll protect you!" He gazed into the stream and saw himself dressed in golden armor, bowing to a crowd, while a voice glorified him.

"Taran of Caer Dallben, the greatest warrior in all Prydain! A true hero!"

Taran took a few bows as he daydreamed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you all! But without the help of my pig, Hen Wen here, I--"

"Uh, dude?" asked Lionel, now covered with dirt. "Porky took a powder."

"We tried to stop her, but she didn't listen." Cherry added.

"Really?" Taran asked.

"Yeah, it was conveniently off-screen while you were in your own little world." Cherry replied.

"What?! Oh, no!" Taran cried out and soon went to go after Hen Wen as she was his responsibility.

The others soon went to follow after Taran to go and find Hen Wen.

"Hen? Hen Wen!" Taran called, as his voice seemed to echo throughout the forest.

Darla became a bit nervous because of the forest looming around, then heard a branch snap. Taran flattened himself against a tree.

"Is that you, Hen?" Taran asked, walking forward, and pulled out an apple. "Look what I've got. C'mon out, here's a lovely, juicy..." He was then suddenly pushed to the ground, and something scrambled after the apple.

"What the hell is that?" asked Lionel.

"Whaha! Ooooooooo! Great Prince give poor starving Gurgi munchings and crunchings!" said the creature. "Nice apple! Good Prince, good apple! Oh, boy! What a juicy apple!"

"Is that a Gremlin?" Cherry wondered.

"I don't think so." Atticus replied.

"Hey! No, you don't!" Taran glared at Gurgi, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck. "I didn't give you that apple, you took it!"

Gurgi then bit him on his hand and went to hide in a nearby bush.

"Ow! Hey! Hold on, you hairy little thief!" Taran demanded. "Come back with my apple!"

"If you don't give Taran his apple back, you'll be sorry!" Mo warned the whatchamacallit.

Gurgi came out of hiding.

"Give it back!" Darla told him.

Gurgi opened his hands and/or paws, but the apple wasn't there.

"C'mon, the apple! Where is it?" asked Atticus.

Gurgi shook his head. "Uh, ah! Gurgi has not seen the apple--uh-oh!" he exclaimed as the apple had rolled out behind his back, and he leapt on top of the apple to hide it.

Taran glared. "Give it back, I warn you! C'mon!" he ordered.

Gurgi tossed the apple about in his hands and looked at it like his heart was going to break.

"C'mon; the apple, let's have it!" Taran said again.

The hairy little creature took a huge bite out of the apple then handed it to Taran.

"You horrible greedy thing!" Taran spat. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Ooooohhh! Poor miserable Gurgi deserves fierce smackings and whackings on his poor tender head!" Gurgi sniffled as he soon appeared to be crying before hugging Taran's legs. "All is left with no munchings and crunchings! Forgive poor Gurgi!"

"Oh, stop that sniveling!" Taran glared a bit. "We're not going to hurt you."

"We're actually looking for Taran's pig." Darla added.

"You wouldn't have happened to see her anywhere, have you?" Mo then asked.

"Piggy?" Gurgi asked before forming himself a bit to look like a pig. "Round, fat piggy? Big snout!"

"Yes, yes." Taran replied.

"Curly tail!" Gurgi then added.

"That's her!" Taran smiled from that. "That's Hen Wen!"

"Uh, nope," Gurgi then said, crossing his arms in denial. "Gurgi has not seen piggy! Nope!"

"What is this, a Bugs Bunny cartoon?" Cherry deadpanned.

"Wrong company." replied Lionel.

"Oh, never mind!" Taran groaned, stuffing the apple into his vest. "No telling where Hen Wen is by now!"

Gurgi then followed him, hoping to get the apple. "Oh, Master, Master!" he then spoke up. "Now Gurgi remembers! Yes! Yes! Clever sharp-eyed Gurgi saw the piggy run, right through the forest!"

"You have?" Atticus asked, though in deadpan.

"Uh-huh! Uh-huh! I saw it! Uh-huh! I saw it!" Gurgi said, pulling Taran by his hand. "Come! Gurgi will find the lost piggy! Then we'll be friends forever!" he then jumped on Taran and began to search his vest for the apple. "Munchings and crunchings in here somewhere!"

"Hey, cut that out!" Cherry glared, trying to grab a hold of Gurgi.

Lionel zapped the creature to stop his movement.

"Thank you." Cherry said from that.

They soon heard a high-pitched squeal which made all of them freeze.

"What was that?" Cherry wondered.

"It's Hen Wen!" Taran gasped to the others. "She's in trouble!"

"Then we have to find her!" Lionel exclaimed.

"Goodbye!" Gurgi said as he ran off and hid.

"Some help _he_ was." scoffed Lionel.

"Hen Wen! Hen!" called Darla.

* * *

Taran and the others came to a clearing and saw Hen running from a gwythaint, a type of winged dragon. The gwythaints swooped over Hen trying to grab her.

"Jeez..." Cherry's eyes widened from the creature.

"Hen Wen!" Taran cried out. "Hen Wen look out!"

Hen Wen soon ran madly across the field, but the creatures were still after her.

"Look out!" Taran yelped. "C'mon hurry, Hen! No! Don't! Hen, hurry!"

The gwythaint soon grabbed Hen Wen and began to carry her off.

"No! Don't! Stop! No!" Taran soon glared as he pulled on the Gwythaint's tail.

"Cut it out, you brutes!" Cherry snapped at the creatures, trying to muster out bravery.

"Yeah, leave her alone!" Atticus shouted as he swatted at the creatures.

The other gwythaint seized Taran and dropped him to the ground as they flew away.

"No! Come back! Please!" Taran screamed. "No! No! Come back!"

Taran ran through some thorn bushes, and climbed up a rocky hill, only to see, at the top, the gwythaints flying away to the Horned King's castle.

"Oh, no..." Lionel gulped.

"Hen Wen... I must get her out of there!" Taran exclaimed in fright.

"Oh, no! Great Lord!" Gurgi panicked as he soon appeared. "Not go in there! Forget the piggy!"

"What are you doing here?" Cherry glared at the little fluffball.

"Gurgi come back to be your friend!" Gurgi replied.

"Friend? Hmph! You're no friend!" Taran glared before he then gave in. "Why you run away when I--...Oh! never mind! I promised Dallben I'd keep Hen safe! I have to go!"

"And we're going with you." Mo replied.

"Aye." The others nodded.

Taran soon began to walk toward a castle as a lightning bolt flashed, making Taran back away in fear.

"Well... This is it..." Cherry said. "You coming, Fluffy?"

"Me? Go in there? Oh!" Gurgi panicked a bit. "No, no! It's a terrible place!"

"Just as I thought!" Taran huffed to Gurgi. "You're no friend! You're just a... A.. A miserable coward!" he then took the apple out of his vest and looked at it. "Here, this is all you wanted!" he then threw the apple at Gurgi and it hit the ground.

"If Great Lord go into evil castle, poor Gurgi will never see his friend again!" Gurgi exclaimed. "Nope! Never!"

Taran climbed a wall, and saw a beam of light, having found a window. Taran tore away the branch that blocked the window, and he climbed inside. Looking around the strange hallway, he quietly got up, and began to search for Hen Wen.

* * *

"Man, this place is even giving _me_ chills." Cherry commented.

As they soon rounded a corner, Taran heard a snort. Carefully Taran looked around to see a guard sleeping, his head resting on a table, the snort being from a snore. The group then huddled closely together as they quickly slipped past the guard, but looked back to make sure they weren't seen. Then the guard dog saw them and barked viciously at them.

"Eek!" Darla squeaked, making Atticus grab her and cover her mouth as they hid away from the sleeping guard.

The guard then woke up, but instead of looking to see what the dog was barking at, the guard yanked the dog's leash. "Shut up, ya thick-skulled dolt!" he then grumbled. "Always barking at nothing! Alright, might as well make our rounds!"

"That... Was close..." sighed Lionel as they kept going.

Taran accidentally pushed open a hidden door. The group looked into a large dining hall, with a throne at one end. The Henchman were celebrating the capture of Hen Wen. The henchmen shouted out bloodcurdling threats at each other, at Prydain, and at a dwarf called Creeper. Creeper had just been trying to snatch a little supper for himself, but the henchmen wouldn't allow it. They tripped Creeper, who landed hard on the ground. Just then a chilly wind shot through the dining hall that stirred the wall hangings. Everyone became deadly silent, and all the candles and torches blew out. A small explosion occurs at one end of the hall, and there stood The Horned King himself. Creeper hurried over to the throne and began to dust it.

"Welcome, Your majesty!" said Creeper. "We're celebrating our success! I-I-I mean _your_ success! We have made no mistakes this time!"

The Horned King seated himself and began to drink the wine Creeper poured for him. The group hid away as they took a look at the Horned King who seemed quite intimidating.

"Bring in the prisoner!" Creeper then commanded.

One of the henchmen brought out Hen Wen all chained up.

"There, Sire! This is the pig that creates visions!" Creeper then told his superior before looking to Hen Wen. "Alright, Pig! Show His Majesty where the Black Cauldron can be found! Go on, show it!

Of course Hen Wen refused to do so.

"Heheh, stubborn little thing, isn't she? Heheh." Creeper chuckled.

The Horned King then grabbed Creeper and threw him to the ground.

"Why yes, Sire. You're quite right! I'll take care of it at once!" Creeper responded from that as he soon shoved Hen Wen's face into the bowl of water where they wanted visions to be seen. "The Black Cauldron! Where is it? Show us, swine!"

Hen Wen still refused, then Creeper grabbed a lump of hot coal.

"I warn you!" Creeper warned. "The King's patience is short!"

"Why, the nerve of those creeps!" Atticus glowered.

"No! Don't! Nooooo!" Taran yelled as he fell from his perch and landed on the floor; the Henchmen ran over to capture him and the others. 

Taran picked up a broom and pointed it at them. "Get back! Or I'll, I'll--" he stammered.

One of the henchmen looked at Taran and laughed; he took his sword, and with one swing cut the broom into a million pieces. Taran looked at what remained of the broom in disbelief. The henchman picked Taran up and pointed his sword at Taran's stomach.

"Release him!" ordered Creeper.

The henchmen looked at Taran, then threw him over by Hen Wen. Taran tried to calm her.

"Hen Wen! Oh, Hen Wen!" he said. "There, there."

The Horned King glowered. "I presume, my boy. You are the keeper of this oracular pig...?" he asked.

"Erm... Yes, he is..." Cherry said, feeling chills around her body.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, sir." Taran added, looking a bit scared out of his wits.

"Then instruct her to show me the whereabouts of the Black Cauldron!" The Horned King demanded.

"Oh, sir! I-I can't, we promised!" Taran replied.

"Very well, in that case, the pig is no use to me!" The Horned King said as he shattered his glass in his hand.

Creeper began to laugh madly and grabbed Hen Wen.

"What are you going to do?!" Taran cried out as he tried to stop him, but he was seized by one of the Henchmen. He then Creeper place Hen Wen on a chopping-block. "No! You can't! Don't!"

The axe was soon raised.

"No! Stop!" Taran soon cried out. "I'll make her tell you!"

"That's better." The Horned King approved.

"Now, get on with the visions, pig!" Creeper snapped.

Taran sighed sadly. "Hen Wen, from you I do beseech... Knowledge that lies beyond my reach...."

Creeper pointed and jumped like a demented kindergartner. "Look! Look, sire! It's working!"

The Horned King's eyes widened. "The Black Cauldron! So it does exist for sure!" He got up from his throne and walked toward Taran. "Yes. Where is it? Show me. Show me!" he roared, lunging at Taran.

Taran cried out in terror and backed away spilling the water where visions were taking place. The water hit the Horned King's 'eyes' and he screamed in fury and pain. Taran scrambled to his feet and picked up Hen Wen.

"Let's duck out of this crazy place!" Atticus exclaimed.

"C-c'mon, Hen!" said Darla as she picked up the piglet and ran for it with the others.

"After them! Get them! After them!" Creeper shrieked.

Taran ran as he carried Hen Wen in his arms. The others began to follow Taran on the way out as they really had nowhere else to really go as the henchmen chased them. The gwythaints, who had been chained to one of the beams, soon flew after Taran. Because they were so strong, the gwythaints ripped the beam right off the wall, forcing the Henchmen to give up the chase for the few seconds that the beam took to get ahead of them. Taran, who, was running for dear life with his new friends, were almost caught by the gwythaints. If it wasn't for the beam catching in a doorway. The henchmen were on the chase again. The group soon ran into the kitchen, where a cook was cutting meat with a rather large knife until he soon saw them.

"Okay, this way then!" Darla said, running one way only to run into Creeper. "Gah! You?!"

"Bwah!" Creeper shouted before Darla punched him in the face.

Creeper grunted from that.

"Sorry, not sorry." Darla glared.

The knife was soon coming for them, but luckily, they missed it.

"Heh... I guess that's what they call a close shave." Cherry remarked weakly.

"Yep!" Lionel remarked as they continued making a run for it.

"Gotcha! Pig Boy!" Creeper called out, flying over Taran and hitting the cook.

Taran and the others then ran into the next hallway, seeing that the henchmen were closing in. Taran led the others through a door and locked it behind him. As Taran turned around he saw that they were at a balcony and dead-end. Taran looked over the battlements and noticed that it was an easy jump to the moat.

* * *

"The moat!" Tara told the others. "It's our only chance!"

"Here, Taran, I'll take Hen Wen and we can go first." Atticus suggested.

"But, Atticus--" Cherry spoke up.

"Don't worry about me, but we gotta go." Atticus said before he soon took a hold of Hen Wen before he soon walked backwards and began to run toward the balcony and soon jumped high in the air and went to land in the water down below.

"Gangway, look out below!" Lionel shouted down to them.

"Swim, Hen!" Taran called out. "Swim!"

"You too, Atticus!" Darla added.

"We're coming!" Taran soon said, about to go in after the two only to be grabbed from behind.

"Hey!" The others complained about that.

Taran was soon dragged backwards as Creeper had grabbed his legs.

"Gotcha, Pig Boy!" Creeper laughed as he dragged Taran over to the Horned King. "I caught him, Your Majesty! I caught the boy!"

"But you let the pig go, didn't you?" The Horned King growled as he grabbed Creeper by his throat.

"I wasn't my fault!" Creeper choked out until he was then thrown to the ground.

"Throw those children into the dungeon!" The Horned King demanded.

"Dungeon?" asked Lionel. "You pug-ugly scrotum-faced geek!"

"Let's try not to make him any angrier than he already is." Darla suggested fearfully.

"Little late for that..." shrugged Lionel as they were taken off to the dungeon.


	3. Chapter 3

The group was all soon shown in the dungeon. There was only a small grating that gave them light. Taran was feeling that he had failed his quest, and broke his promise to Dallben. As Taran sat, the words that he once said and heard haunted him.

"You must make sure he never uses Hen Wen to find the Black Cauldron!" Dallben's voice said.

"I won't fail you, Dallben," Taran's voice added. "Look at me, guys, I can do it!"

Taran shook these words out of his mind, looked around him and picked up a rock about the size of his hand and slammed it against the dungeon wall, and began to cry. The voices no longer bothered him.

"I can do it!" Taran said with a sob. "I can do it."

"Man, how are we gonna get out of here without Atticus?" Cherry began to sulk.

"What am I, bacon grease?" asked Lionel. "I'll just teleport us out of here!"

"And you didn't do this already because...?" Cherry drawled out.

"Because we were busy talking and everyone seemed to forget I could do that." Lionel replied.

"I just thought if you could, you'd get us out of here in 10 seconds." Cherry shrugged.

"Ah. Well, alrighty then," said Lionel. "Everyone gather around."

Everyone they came around Lionel to get going out of the dungeon. As all hope looked lost for Taran, one of the flagstones got pushed up and moved to the side. A bright ball of light came up from the hole the flagstone was covering. The ball of light AKA a bauble floated around in mid-air, providing light for the beautiful young girl that climbed out of the hole. The girl had long golden hair that reached down to her waist and had blue eyes. Along with her was a redheaded/brunette haired girl with blue eyes as well.

Taran watched the bauble with distrust and curiosity "Yes, yes! I--" he then began to speak. 

The blonde cut him off. "You're being held a prisoner, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes!" Taran said, still watching the bauble.

"We've been held against our wills, too." The redhead replied.

The bauble floated in front of the group. Taran touched the bauble with his hand. The bauble flickered, then the light came back and madly circled around the group, who, had jumped back in fear.

"Guys!" Taran alerted. "It lights up!"

"We see that." Mo replied.

"Why of course, it's magic!" The redheaded girl giggled.

"Oh, I hate this place!" The blonde girl pouted a bit. "I do hope there aren't any rats in here. Oh, not that I really mind them you know, but they do jump out at one so!"

"Who are you?" Cherry asked the two girls.

"Oh, of course," The blonde girl replied. "I'm Princess Eilonwy."

"And I'm Mary Ruth Youngblood." The redheaded girl added.

Cherry gasped from that other name, trying to keep calm, but it was hard to.

"Wait a second, we haven't even teleported yet!" said Lionel as they landed a few feet away.

"Are you a lord... Or a warrior?" Eilonwy asked Taran.

"Er, no, I'm, uh, an assistant pig-keeper." Taran replied.

"Oh, what a pity," Eilonwy replied. "I was so hoping for someone who could help us escape!"

"Oh, well, if you want to come with us, you may." Mary Ruth added.

"Gangway!" Lionel shouted as he and the others suddenly materialized in a ball of shining blue energy, then fell (save for Cherry and Darla, whom he had gently placed on the ground nearby).

"Hm..." Cherry smirked as she was able to get out without a scratch.

Atticus smiled proudly as Darla was able to come about, unhurt. 

"Knock-Knock..." Lionel coughed.

After all introductions were made, the group teleported out of the castle shortly after.

* * *

Cherry felt strange around the redheaded/brunette girl.

"You okay, dear?" Mary Ruth asked her.

"Oh... Yes, I'm fine," Cherry replied. "It's just... Uh... I'm ready to get going."

"Well... Okay," said Lionel. "Maybe we can get an explanation. C'mon, let's get moving!"

They soon ran along together to get back on track with help from their new friends.

"Now's your chance to become a true hero." Darla advised to Taran.

Taran and Eilonwy snuck by the castle doors and stopped around the next corner. Now Eilonwy noticed that Taran had a sword.

"Where did you get that sword?" asked Mary Ruth.

"Uh, back there." replied Taran.

Eilonwy put 2 and 2 together. "You mean..." she then began to say.

"Well, he's not going to use it!" Taran replied.

Suddenly they hear a dog barking and a voice pleading. They go to see who it was.

"You're making a horrendous mistake!" The pleading voice begged. "I'm not a spy! I'm a bard! I sing! Uh, I entertain! Oh, careful sir, these are the hands of an artist!"

"This'll hold you!" The guard glared.

"Now, look, you seem an intelligent sort of chap to me!" The bard replied.

The guard looked at him with an expression that said "Duh!".

"I assure you I had no idea who owned this castle! I just happened to be passing!" The bard begged while looking to the dog. "Oh, he's nice! What's his name?"

The dog tried to bite the bard, but the guard led the dog away.

"Down! You don't realize who I am!" The bard then said, trying to make up a little song with a harp until a string broke followed by more. "I shall sing of your dastardly deed! I'm Fflewddur Fflam! Minstrel of minstrels! Balladeer to the grandest courts in all the land! Well, so you've forgotten! I've sung in some of the finest courts! Well, I'm only waiting for an invitation! Oh, shush! Why do you judge every word I say? Oh! What's that?" he then saw a skeleton of a former minstrel chained to the wall. "Hhheeeeellllllppppppp!"

"We should help... That guy..." Atticus said, struggling to even say the bard's name.

"Flam!" Lionel managed to say.

"Right!" Atticus nodded as they went to do just that.

"Oh, hello!" said Eilonwy. "We'll have you untied in a moment. I'm Princess Eilonwy. And you are in bad trouble, aren't you?"

Fflewddur blinked. "Trouble? Don't you know where you are? Haven't you seen him?" he asked.

A noise stopped their conservation. Fflewddur was half freed with one hand still tied up.

"Pig Boy's escaped! Look in there!" said a henchman from behind a door.

"We've been discovered!" Taran cried out.

"You? Oh! Great Berlin!" Flam yelped. "Run! Run! Make haste!" he then said to himself. "Make haste? I've must save myself!"

Taran, Eilonwy, and the others soon ran for dear life. Taran would have made it across the parapet if he hadn't tripped on a flagstone. Eilonwy, not seeing Taran's fault, kept on going. Mary Ruth soon looked over in concern. As Taran got up he realized that the sword is gone. Taran looked around him and saw that the sword had fallen in the ditch that was aside the parapet. Hearing the Henchmen, Taran jumped into the ditch and, grabbed the sword, crawled underneath one of the arches of the parapet. The Henchmen passed over him, without being seen. When they were gone, Taran climbed on the parapet and searched for Eilonwy.

"Princess!" Taran soon called out for his newest companion. "Princess Eilonwy!"

"Get the sword, boy!" Mary Ruth told Taran.

Clutching the sword, Taran rounded a corner and rn into one of the Henchmen. "Pig Boy?! You little scut!" he growled.

With a single blow with his hand, the henchman sent Taran sprawling. He took out his axe and swung at Taran, missing him only by a hair! Taran grabbed onto a beam to help him get on his feet. The Henchman swung again, missing Taran but his axe was caught in the beam. Taran sees that his only hope is the sword, so he grabbed it and held it to fend off any blows the henchman would bring upon him. The henchman had pulled his axe free of the beam and was going to chop Taran in half, but brought his axe down on Taran's sword. There was a bright light as the two weapons clashed. The henchmen's axe shuddered and shattered into a million pieces. Frightened, the henchmen backed away. Taran realized that the sword was magic, and he laughed madly as he got up and swung the sword around. Eilonwy and the others walked in on the scene and looked at Taran like he'd gone crazy.

"...What exactly am I seeing here?" asked Lionel curiously.

"Madness if I had to guess." Darla replied.

"Erm... Are you alright?" Eilonwy asked Taran.

Taran turned around and looked at Eilonwy. He seemed different now, like he had some bravery that was unleashed by the Magic Sword. "Oh, good! You're safe!" he then said.

"Why of course! I--" Eilonwy began to reply.

"C'mon!" Taran told her as he soon pulled on her hand, dragging her behind him as he ran through the castle with the Magic Sword in hand, trying to find a way out of here. "I'm going to get you out of here!"

"Hey, buddy, wait up!" Cherry called out as she followed after.

"Yeah, we exist too!" Lionel shouted.

"There they are!" said one goon.

Taran pulled Eilonwy up a flight of stairs with the Henchmen close behind them. "Quick! Up here!" he explained.

Eilonwy screamed as she saw one of the Henchmen coming at them with a sword ready to strike. Taran held up the Magic Sword and swung at the henchman. With a burst of light, the Magic Sword shattered the other sword and threw the henchman over their heads and crashing into the other henchmen behind them. 

Eilonwy looked at the sword in awe. "Taran, the sword!" she exclaimed.

"Great Belin!" gasped Fflam.

They all looked up to see Fflam running for dear life with a savage guard dog right behind him.

"Help! Murder!" Fflam cried out. "Get DOWN!"

Taran and Eilonwy soon came to a storeroom filled with wine barrels.

"I should probably whip this out too." Atticus said as he brought out the Sword of Harmony just to be safe before they continued to follow after.

"Keep going, Princess!" Taran advised, as he took the magic sword and split open the wine barrels. He followed Eilonwy, grabbed her hand and dragged her through the courtyard. 

Everyone had seen them by now and they all are on the chase.

"Taran!" exclaimed Mary Ruth.

Creeper pointed. "There they are!"

Taran, Eilonwy, and the others found the drawbridge, but they were trapped.

"C'mon! Get them!" bellowed Creeper.

Eilonwy gasped. "Oh, no! Taran!" she exclaimed.

Creeper cackled. "We've got you now, Pig Boy!"

One of the Henchmen threw an axe and it almost hit Eilonwy.

"Ah! Taran!" Eilonwy exclaimed. "Do something! Use the sword!"

Taran, who was trying not to get hit with the spears that were being thrown at him, swung at the chain holding up the drawbridge. The chain broke from the touch of the Magic Sword. Creeper and the Henchmen backed away in fear.

Suddenly, Fflam appeared with the guard dog still behind him. "Make way! Make way!" he cried out on the way. "Step aside! I've never hurt you! Get, get out of my way!"

The drawbridge was lowered and Fflam cried to cross it, but the guard dog was grabbed hold of the seat of Fflam's pants.

"Let me down, you brute!" Fflam begged.

"Run, guys! Run!" Taran cried out.

The gate came down, tearing Fflam's pants as he ran off holding up what was left of them. "Why didn't you tell me you had a magic sword?!" he then asked Taran.

"You never asked!" Atticus replied.

* * *

Meanwhile, Creeper was climbing the staircase to the Horned King's room, nervous about what the King would do to him. "It wasn't my fault! That's it! That's it! I always get blamed for these things! I'll just tell him... and if he gets mad... Oh, OH!" he muttered. "I'll just straighten him out! That's it! I'm not going to get kicked around for this!" He quietly knocked on the Horned King's door. "Sire...?"

The Horned King's voice boomed in a creepy whisper. "You bring news of the pig...?"

"Not exactly, Sire," Creeper replied. "It's the pig-keeper, sir and his friends... They're.. Oh!.. They're..." he then whispered. "They've escaped..." he then tried a little bit louder now. "They've escaped!"

The Horned King signalled Creeper to come to him.

"Oh, sire! Allow me!!" Creeper said before he started to choke himself. "Is... Is that enough?"

"Good. He'll find his pig!" The Horned King replied before commanding. "Send the gwythaints to follow those kids!"

"Oh, yes, sire!" Creeper obeyed. "Oh, yes! By all means, sire!" he then left the room, laughing madly.

* * *

Elsewhere in a glade, Taran was polishing the Magic Sword, Eilonwy was sewing the rip in Fflewddur's pants made by the Guard Dog, & Fflewddur stood behind a bush with his boxers on, making up a song about himself.

"The world will applaud me, Its praise will reward me... And I, Fflewddur Fflam... Will find fame!~"

"There... Almost finished, Fflewddur," said Eilonwy. "Hmm... It's not too good, but it'll hold for a while."

"Yes, I shall sing of your deed!" said Flam.

"It would be better to sing of our heroic escape!" replied Mary Ruth. "Weren't you a bit frightened, Fflewddur?"

Fflam scoffed. "A Fflam frightened? Ho, ho! The word is not in my vocabulary!"

"Atticus, I thought you were with Hen Wen, how did you get here?" Cherry asked her best friend.

"I managed to get out of the moat and I came looking for you from there," Atticus replied. "I'm sorry about the pig though."

"Well... At least you're okay..." Cherry said before hugging him. "I love you, ya jerk."

Atticus smiled a bit as he polished his sword.

"Oops." Mary Ruth said to Fflam as his harp seemed a bit busted.

"At least we made it out," replied Lionel. "Now we have to destroy this Black Cauldron thing."

"Did you feel scared, Taran?" Darla asked.

"I wasn't afraid!" Taran defended.

"Not afraid?!" Elionwy replied. "Why, we were running for our lives!"

"Well, I got us out of the castle, didn't I?" Taran said to her.

"You?!" Mary Ruth replied from that. "I'd say it was the sword's magic."

"But it takes a great warrior to handle a sword like this!" Taran told the girls.

"But, still, it is a magic sword!" Cherry reminded him.

"Hmph!" Taran soon huffed. "What do a bunch of girls know about swords anyway?!"

"Oh, excuse me, Mr. Expert Swordsman!" Lionel replied sarcastically. "I forgot about the many battles you've been in! Face it! Without that sword, we'd be mincemeat!"

"Here now, now, folks..." Fflam said to the arguing ones.

"Well, at least I don't keep talking about it FOREVER!" Eilonwy soon retorted to Taran. "Oh, you're so, so BORED!"

"Princess Eilonwy!" Fflam cried out from that.

"How dare you take his side?!" Eilonwy huffed, throwing Fflam's pants in his face.

"Well, I really didn't mean t-t-to interfere!" Fflam spoke up nervously.

"Silly girl!" Taran scoffed. "Even if she is a princess! Why you gotta take HER side, Lionel?"

"Because she at least _has_ experience!" said Lionel. "All you've done is imaginary fights with a stick! This is the REAL DEAL!!"

Taran gave a bit of a growl as he and Eilonwy soon walked away from each other.

"So, uh, are you really Mary Ruth Youngblood?" Cherry soon asked the other girl.

"Yes, I am," Mary Ruth replied. "I'm trying very hard to keep my anger in check even though your friend hurt mine. Terrible things tend to happen when I get upset enough."

"Well, wouldn't be the first time that sort of thing happened." replied Lionel.

"This should be interesting," Mary Ruth smirked. "You know something I don't?"

"Uh..." The others paused.

"So, you're just with Princess Eilonwy..." Cherry said. "Don't you, uh, have a family?"

"I'm afraid not," Mary Ruth said softly. "My parents disappeared after I was born."

"Hey, at least you _had_ parents," shrugged Lionel. "But at least you don't let it bum you out. I know I sure don't."

"I'm fine either way, though sometimes I have to wonder where I came from," Mary Ruth said. "I think I found out why they left me when I was about age 6. That was when I discovered myself a bit... Eilonwy's the only real friend I ever had."

"Well, I can guarantee that though you are an unwanted girl now, you'll soon become the most needed woman in my--Erm... In the future." Cherry told her out of comfort and support.

Lionel nodded in agreement. "Yeah! You've got lots to live for, so no sense doubting your worth!" he added.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Mary Ruth remarked.

"Great!" Lionel smiled.

"I'm sorry of Elionwy hurt you in any way though," Mary Ruth then said. "I'm sure she'll turn around though, I'm not sure about your friend, Taran."

"Oh, it's fine," said Lionel. "Eilonwy seems like a nice person. Oddly enough, she's more qualified to be a warrior than Taran..."

"Hm... That's what I always told her..." Mary Ruth smirked. "Just know that I'm not a girl afraid to get down and dirty."

"So I've heard." Cherry said to herself distantly.

"Glad to know that," nodded Lionel. "Because with the Horned King out to find us, it won't exactly be squeaky clean."

"You're telling me..." Cherry groaned a bit.

Taran soon decided to go to apologize to Eilonwy. He found her leaning on a willow tree, crying. "Hello." he greeted sheepishly.

Eilonwy soon saw Taran and brushed away her tears. "Hello. Fflam is right, you know," she then said. "We are going to have to work together. And we'll find your pig. I'm sure it's important."

"Thank you for getting me out of the dungeon." Taran said to her.

"Oh, we couldn't have done it without you." Eilonwy admitted.

"But a least we're all safe." Taran then said.

Just then, a cry of panic proved him wrong. "Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh! Great Berlin!"

Taran turned in shock. "Fflewddur!"

* * *

Fflewddur was sprawled on the ground. Gurgi was sitting on him, robbing Fflewddur of all his belongings.

"Help! Murder! Hurry!" The man cried.

Gurgi chuckled to himself. "Ha, ha! Gurgi's lucky day!" he picked up Flam's hat. "Wow!"

"Yes! Keep it! It's a gift!" begged the bard.

Gurgi picked up Fflewddur's harp. "Oh, this! Gurgi want this!" he said.

Fflewddur wasn't in much position to argue. "Take it! I'm sure you've murdered for less! Ugh!"

Gurgi tried to pull the harp away, but the string was around Fflewddur's neck. Practically choking Fflewddur, Gurgi gave one last pull when Taran and the others arrived at the scene with the Magic Sword drawn.

Taran glared. "Gurgi!"

"You again?!" Cherry asked the creature. "What do you want?!"

"Master! Uh, uh, old man... FALL DOWN!" Gurgi said to Taran before switching to Fflewddur. "Get up. Get up!"

"Well! Really!" Fflewddur complained as he brushed off his harp. "Who is your pungent little friend?"

"He's no friend of ours," Taran replied. "He's just a coward and a thief."

Gurgi then took of Fflewddur's hat and gave it back. "Hmph! Too big anyway!"

Eilonwy joined her new friends to see Gurgi. Gurgi fixed his hair for Eilonwy.

"You're charming!" Elionwy smiled to him.

"And pungent too!" Gurgi replied to her.

Lionel scoffed. "About as charming as a snake in the grass, maybe."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" asked Taran.

Fflewddur brushed himself off. "Yes. Yes exactly! Toddle off! Toddle off!" he scolded.

Gurgi scoffed. "Humph! Gurgi go!" He started to walk away, then saw Eilonwy's footprints. "Tracks? TRACKS! Gurgi remembers! Saw piggy's tracks!"

"You did?" Cherry asked.

"Today!" Gurgi nodded.

"Today?" Taran replied. "Wait a minute!"

"You'll try anything!" Fflewddur warned.

"Oh, you're both horrid!" Elionwy huffed. "He just might know."

"Pretty ladies come too?" Gurgi asked, pulling on Eilonwy and Mary Ruth's dresses.

"Well, I--" Elionwy paused.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Gurgi beamed to the girls. "Follow Gurgi! Follow Gurgi!"

"You'd better be telling the truth, ya little furball!" Cherry glared.

"Gurgi not lie," Gurgi promised. "Not this time."

Atticus seemed to narrow his eyes before following after the others.

"You're suspicious of him too, right?" asked Lionel.

"Hmm... A little bit..." Atticus replied mysteriously.

"Don't be blamin' ya." replied Lionel.

The companions followed Gurgi to a small pond, where Gurgi proudly showed Taran Hen Wen's tracks.

"See, master?" Gurgi told Taran out of excitement. "Piggy's footsteps! No lie."

Taran checked them out. "Oh, good. They look fresh." he then said.

Gurgi set out crossing the small stepping stones on the pond. As soon as he was in the middle of the pond, all the stepping stones disappeared except for the stone Gurgi was standing on. That stone began to spin and sink into the water. The pond turned into a whirlpool sucking Gurgi in.

"Yah!" Mo yelped before she went to pull in Gurgi to safety.

"Mo, careful!" Darla cried out.

Taran came to join, but he was not strong enough. was is pulled in with Gurgi and Mo.

Eilonwy then grabbed onto Fflewddur, trying to pull out Gurgi and Taran. "Oh, Taran! Give me your hand!" she called out.

"We're doomed!" Fflam panicked.

Those two soon fell into the whirlpool next. Taran, Gurgi, Eilonwy, Mo, and Fflewddur and sucked into the depths below.

"What to do?!" Darla cried out. "What to do?!"

 ** _'Go after them...'_** A voice told Darla from her special brooch.

"Gangway!" Lionel exclaimed as he leapt in after.

Darla gulped a bit. "I'm not sure if going in is a good idea."

"Oh, of course it is, Darla," Atticus smiled innocently. "And who knows better than your big brother?"

"Hmm... I guess you're right..." Darla admitted.

"C'mon, then!" Atticus replied as he and Darla dived in, leaving only Cherry and Mary Ruth.

"There's something really weird about your friend..." Mary Ruth said to Cherry. "Doesn't he seem strange to you?"

"You really want me to answer that?" Cherry replied.

"Either way, jump in, Girly Girl." Mary Ruth smirked a bit, playfully hitting her arm.

Cherry held her arm before rubbing it from that as she took a deep breath and soon jumped in after her friends.


	4. Chapter 4

The whirlpool settled, leaving the group on the floor of an underground realm. Exhausted from the whirlpool, they slept as some young "locals" observed them.

"How did they get in here?" asked a boy.

"Ha! Old Doli's whirlpool broke again!" said another.

"I think they wake up soon," said a little girl. "We'd better tell King Eidilleg."

"No, silly!" said the second boy. "You know we're not supposed to be up here!"

"Uh oh, we are going to be in trouble!" said the girl.

"Not me!" said the boy, who turned invisible.

"Me either!" The girl added.

A man had come to inspect how the fixing of the whirlpool who was known as King Eidilleg. Doli, Eidilleg's grumpy, hot-tempered, sharp-witted servant, was trying to fix the whirlpool.

"Oh, yes, I see you fixed that." King Eidilleg remarked.

"Yuuuuuup!" Doli replied. "When I get... This pole.... Up here... I'll be finished!

"Good! Yes, it _should_ work," Doli beamed to his superior. "It's PERFECT!"

The structure then suddenly broke.

"Grab that pole!" Doli then called out.

"Ugh! I've got it!" Eidilleg said before the whole thing fell apart.

By then, Eilonwy had woken up. "Aren't you all darling?" she exclaimed.

Lionel yawned and cracked his neck. "Sure, if you like that sorta thing..." he replied.

"Oh, uh, hello," said the small man. "I'm King Eidilleg of the Fair Folk and this..."

"How in the blazes did they get in here?!" asked Doli as the whole structure collapsed on them.

"I thought I told you to fix the whirlpool!" said the king.

"I fixed it! I did fix it!" Doli protested. "It was perfect!"

Eidilleg scoffed. "Evidently not completely perfect! It's supposed to keep them OUT!" he retorted before he turned back to our heroes. "Uh, can I be of any service?"

Doli grumbled under his breath. "Is everything that happens around here MY fault?!"

Eidilleg continued questioning. "Are you here on a friendly visit?" he asked.

"And I suppose it's my fault that the pig's here, too!" Doli groused.

"Wait, did you say pig?" Cherry asked hopefully.

"Hen Wen?" Taran added.

"Oh, she's your pig!" Doli replied. "Oh, GOOD! One less thing for old Doli to worry about!"

"Oh, Doli!" Eidelleg soon called out to him.

"What now?!" Doli groaned from that.

"Would you hurry up and fetch the pig?" Eidelleg demanded.

"PIG?!" Doli groaned as he flew off and took off his hat and kicked it, then saw some young fair folk giggling at him. "HEY, YOU KIDS! WHAT ARE YOU _DOING_?!"

"Oh, oh, Mr. Doli," The little girl said. "I just want to see the pretty lady."

"All right, but you watch yourself, ya' hear?" Doli told the girl.

All the Fair Folk went to see the visitors.

"I cannot believe my eyes, Your Majesty!" Elionwy said before laughing as the Fair Folk swarmed around her.

"Um... Greetings... Friends...?" Cherry said sheepishly.

"Alright, small fries," said Lionel. "Just chill. We're all pals here."

"Watch it! Watch it!" Doli warned the kids.

Hen Wen came running through, trampling over Doli, eager to see Taran.

"Oh, Hen!" Taran beamed to the pig. "Thank goodness you're safe!"

Hen Wen landed on Taran's lap, and he pet her, though she seemed confused around Atticus for some reason who stared blankly at her.

"Tell me, is the burning and killing, _still_ going on up there?" Eildilleg asked Fflewddur.

"You're referring to th-th-that joke on humanity, the Horned King!" Fflewddur replied.

"Well, no one ever stands UP to him!" Eidilleg defended.

"We've seen him, and if he finds the cauldron, he'll kill us all!" Cherry replied.

"Oh, no, no!" Eidilleg replied. "He'll never find it! No, no! It's safely hidden in Morva."

"What the heck is a Morva?" asked Lionel.

"Not what... Where..." Eidilleg replied. "It's not too far from here, but it's also the hiding place of The Black Cauldron."

"Well, that's a plus." Darla smiled hopefully.

"Well, at least I think it is," Eidelleg said before calling out. "Oh, Doli! Is it?!"

"Yuuuuuup! Is that my new job?!" Doli answered. "Remembering where the cauldron was last seen!"

"Oh, he'll know right where it is!" Eidilleg said to the others. "You'll see!"

"If we could get to the cauldron first, and destroy it!" Taran exclaimed hopefully.

"Oh, it isn't right Taran?" Elionwy replied.

"I think he has a point," Cherry said. "If we find the Black Cauldron and destroy it, it'll stop that Horned King guy."

"Please, come with me?" asked Taran, clutching Eilonwy's hand.

Eidilleg pondered. "Well, I never thought of Morva! That's a hard place to get to!" he said.

Doli nodded. "Yuuuuup!"

Eidilleg then got an idea. "Why, you can take them!" he said.

Doli looked like someone had just spit in his lunch. "What?!"

Fflewddur blinked. "You mean we're trusting our lives to-to-to him?" he asked.

Doli flew crossly to him, as Flam hid his face behind his harp.

"And what, is wrong, with _me_?!" Doli asked angrily.

Fflewddur tried to verbally backtrack. "Oh! Ah, nothing! Splendid choice in fact! Heh, heh." he replied as another string on his harp broke.

"Shall we then?" Atticus asked.

The Fair Folk turned invisible and lifted our heroes to the exit of the realm.

"Oooooooohhhhhh!" Gurgi oohed.

"Oh, wait!" Taran suddenly called out. "Hen Wen."

"Don't worry!" Edilleg replied. "We'll get her home safely!"

"Thank you, sir!" Taran said with relief. "Be good, Hen!"

"I know where the Marshes of Morva are, so follow me." Mary Ruth told the others.

"Good idea, M. R.!" Lionel beamed.

Mary Ruth nodded to that.

"Yes... Onward to the Black Cauldron..." Atticus hid a bit of an eerie smirk.

* * *

We now view an area that resembles a swamp. A eerie mist covered the ground. We see Taran, Princess Eilonwy, Gurgi, Fflewddur Fflam, Doli, and the group who was sitting atop Fflewddur's hat. Eilonwy was stepping carefully, so she won't dirty herself. Fflewddur who was looking worse for wear, seemed to be exhausted.

"Welcome to the Marshes of Morva." Mary Ruth told the others.

"Oh, such a dreary place!" Elionwy remarked.

"Let's see what it looks like from up here." Taran said, walking to a small ledge, overlooking the marshes.

"So, uh, Mary Ruth, how do you know this place?" Cherry asked.

"Honestly, I've had dreams about this place several times," Mary Ruth said. "I found out though from Angharad and Geraint that they swore that someone leave me on their doorstep from this exact place, like I was maybe born here."

"Ooh... Sounds foreboding." replied Darla.

"I think we're lost..." said Eilonwy to Taran.

"Are you sure this is the right place, guys?" Mo asked Doli and Mary Ruth.

"Yes, we're sure!" Doli replied gruffly.

"Well, if you ask me--Aaahhhhh!" Fflam replied before walking over a small ledge.

"Fflewddur! Doli!" Elionwy cried out.

"Are you all right?" Taran soon asked.

"Hey! Look out you big clumsy oaf! Look wher--Uh oh!" Doli glared before seeing a cottage where a certain artifact was hidden. "Welcome to Morva."

"Yes." Mary Ruth nodded in agreement.

"Well, someone must live here." Taran collected as he walked up to the cottage.

Gurgi panicked. "Gurgi not like this place! Uh-uh! Nooooooo!" he shrieked.

Eilonwy was looking in a window. "It seems empty. Maybe we should have a look." she suggested.

Taran was now trying to push the door open with Atticus. "If I could just... Get this... Door open!" he grunted. The door opened, and they looked around.

"How will we ever find the Black Cauldron in a place like this?" asked Eilonwy.

"It must be here somewhere!" exclaimed Taran as the search began.

Eilonwy and Mary Ruth looked in the drawer, Taran and Atticus looked in a cabinet, and Lionel, Darla and Gurgi looked behind a door. Taran opened a chest and myriad of frogs jump out heading for the door. Eilonwy screamed in terror.

"They're only frogs, Eilonwy." replied Taran.

"Those were people!!" exclaimed Doli.

"You mean they were turned into frogs!" exclaimed Darla.

Gurgi suddenly jumped on Darla and shook her madly.

"Oh, master! Come quickly! Gurgi finds the wicked Cauldron! Quick! Quick! Follow Gurgi!" he exclaimed.

"Gah! Get off of me!" Darla cried out.

Gurgi soon led the group into the next room. "Behold, Master!" he then proclaimed.

"The whole room is full of cauldrons!" Taran gasped in realization.

"Great... So how do we find out which one is the Black Cauldron?" Cherry asked with a small huff.

"I don't understand! Why would, why would anyone want so many...." said Eilonwy.

"Ah! Thieves! Thieves!" said a voice.

The group returned to the main room, a small explosion lit it and three women appeared.

"Someone stole all our frogs! You evil, nasty people!" exclaimed one. "You shall all be turned into frogs and eaten!"

Another was feeling Lionel's arm. "Nice and tender!" she said.

"Hey, watch the merchandise!" Lionel retorted, pulling his arm away.

Mary Ruth's eyes widened from the three women almost like she knew them somehow.

"So nice to meet you ladies," Fflam said, going to get away only for a hand to reach out and pull him. "Uh, goodbye!"

"Wait! My, aren't you the handsome one!" The woman smirked, hugging him as he felt quite shocked.

"Who? Who?" Fflam gulped. "M-M-M-M-M-Me?!"

"Oh, honestly now!" The woman smirked. "Don't you find me irresistible?"

"Now, now, let's not get hasty..." Mary Ruth told the three woman.

"Yeah!" said Atticus. "Let's think this out!"

"They're right!" Another woman replied. "Enough of this lovesick nonsense!" she then turned Fflewddur into a frog.

"Great Belin!" Fflam cried out from that before trying to hop away.

The woman then tried to catch him, but Fflewddur was too fast. "We're going to have toad stew!" she huffed.

Suddenly a pot filled with boiling water appeared under Fflewddur; he fell in and Orgoch scooped him up with a spoon and was about to eat him, when Orwen pushed her away, causing Orgoch to drop Fflewddur.

"You're not going to eat this one!" said Orwen, changing him back and hugging him once more. "Come here, love! Can anyone here perform marriages?"

Fflewddur sounded utterly frightened. "Marriages?!" he exclaimed.

"That sucks." Cherry remarked.

"You love-struck witch!" Orgoch snapped, changing Fflewddur back into a frog, but since Orwen was

hugging him, Fflewddur was caught between Orwen's breasts.

"That sucks even more." Cherry smirked.

"Where is he? Where'd he go?" Orwen cried out for her "true love". "Yoo-hoo! Where are you? Don't go! Now look what you've done! He's gone! I'll never forgive you for this, Orgoch! Never!" she then cried.

Fflewddur managed to free himself, and he hopped away.

"Oh, there you are!" Orwen spotted him, changing Fflewddur back, and all three witches laughed together.

"Enough!" Taran snapped. "We've come for the Black Cauldron!"

"Did you hear that sisters?" Orddu asked.

"Why, no one has asked for the Black Cauldron in over 2,000 years!" Orwen replied. "

It's a trick!" Orgoch huffed. "We not going to let them have it, are we?"

"It's not a trick." Mary Ruth glared a bit.

"Don't worry. Leave it to me." said Orddu. "Perhaps I might interest you in something else; a kettle, a crockpot, a skillet, a teapot, a bucket, a jar, a platter!" The pots, skillets, and pans floated around Taran. "See anything you like?"

The Magic Sword glowed and suddenly seemed to take on its own life. It shatters the pots and pans, and got Orddu's attention. "I don't believe it! I've never seen a sword like that!" she then shrieked. "I've got to have that sword! Listen carefully, we'll trade the Cauldron for the sword!"

Orwen looked baffled. "But what can they _do_ with the Cauldron, Orddu?" she asked.

Orddu smirked. "Nothing! That's the point. Don't you see? We'll end up with both! The sword and the Cauldron!" she turned to the group. "It's decided then, you shall have the Black Cauldron."

"You mean, you'll give it to us?" asked Atticus.

Orddu laughed at that. "That's not what I said," she then said. "You weren't listening. We never give anything away! What we do is bargain, trade!"

"Well, you'll not have my sword!" Taran replied.

"Or mine." Atticus added, holding the Sword of Harmony close.

"May I ask you ladies to perhaps consider this magnificent harp?" Fflam offered.

"A harp?!" Orddu scoffed. "When we want music we send for the birds. What would we do with a simple harp?" she soon saw Darla's brooch. "Ooh... What's all that then?"

"Uh, I'm sorry, ma'am, but this is my most prized possession." Darla said, holding onto her Sailor Guardian brooch protectively.

"Yeah, and ya can't have it!" Lionel added.

Orddu growled a bit.

"I'm sorry..." Darla whispered. "But I promised Serena."

"These swords look nice though." Orgoch said, looking over Atticus's shoulder.

"Back off, ya broad, or you're ribbons." Atticus threatened.

"Atticus...?" Cherry asked as that sounded a bit unlike Atticus to say something like that.

"Hey, they threatened the sword," replied Lionel. "It's just not done."

"Wait! Gurgi will trade his munchings and crunchings." said Gurgi, as he held out an apple core.

Orddu looked on in disbelief. "Who would want...?!"

Orgoch stopped her. "Hold it, sister! Not so fast!" She grabbed the apple core and ate it.

Taran waved his hands. "Alright! I know what you want!"

Orddu looked on, curious. "Yesssss?"

"No, Taran! No!" exclaimed Eilonwy, knowing what was about to happen.

Taran turned to Eilonwy. "It's our only chance!" he said, before turning to Orddu, sadly. "Here is my sword. Take it!"

Orddu warned, "This is your own choice, duckling. Remember, with this sword, you could be the greatest of warriors!"

"A weapon is only as good as the one who holds it." advised Lionel.

"Yes," Taran told the witches. "I offer you my dearest possession, in exchange for the Black Cauldron."

Agreed! We have made a bargain." Orddu grinned.

The three witches disappeared with Taran's sword. The cottage began to fall apart as the wind blew it away. Stools, chairs, pots and pans flew by. Then the cauldrons took off.

"Gangway!" Darla cried out as she ducked down.

Mary Ruth soon used her own magical powers to protect them all from the chaos.

* * *

Our other heroes laid on the ground to keep out of the way of the cauldrons. Just when they thought it was over, a small earthquake took place. The Black Cauldron was then pushed up from under the ground where the cottage had been.

"You know those hags?" Cherry asked Mary Ruth.

"Yes, they often insist that I'm not really a witch like them," Mary Ruth huffed. "I ain't takin' any of their shit though or showing any signs of weakness."

"Good." Lionel nodded.

"I wish I could be brave and strong like you." Cherry whispered to her future grandmother.

"You are, Scuzzlebutt, you just gotta look for it deep inside yourself to let it come out on its own." Mary Ruth said, forcing the perky goth up to her feet as the Black Cauldron was soon shown.

Cherry seemed to smile from being called "Scuzzlebutt", even if others found it to be an embarrassing nickname, she didn't care.

"Heh... Scuzzlebutt..." Lionel chuckled. "I've heard worse."

"The Black Cauldron! It's ours!" Taran exclaimed, as he walked toward it and he heard the laughs of the witches. He looked up to see them watching him from the clouds.

"I say, what funny little ducklings!" remarked Orddu. "Don't they know the Black Cauldron is indestructible! Now listen carefully, the Black Cauldron can never be destroyed. Only its evil powers can be stopped!"

"Then there is a way!" Taran's eyes lit up. "But how?"

"A living being must climb into it on his own free will!" instructed Orddu.

"They're right," Mary Ruth told the others. "So, who's up for it, eh?"

"Gurgi is bold and brave!" Gurgi soon proclaimed. "He will climb into the evil cauldron!"

"However, the poor duckling, will never climb out ALIVE!" Orddu soon added.

"Yikes!" Gurgi gasped from that.

"Now look here, Madame, don't forget we have an agreement!" Fflam reminded the witches.

"Yes! You said we could have the Cauldron!" Elionwy added.

"That's how they get ya." Mary Ruth remarked.

"Of course we said you could have the Cauldron," Orgoch replied. "It's not our fault you can't do anything with it! Not even little 'ol Mary can help ya!"

"Goodbye goslings!" Orddu said before disappearing with her sisters. "And remember we always keep our bargain!"

"Ugh... I hate those three..." Mary Ruth grumbled.

"They remind me of... My cousin's other aunts..." Cherry replied, talking about Wendy's aunts who were on _her_ father's side of the family.

"Ah, right." Lionel nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

Night came, and our heroes sat around a campfire. Fflewddur was tending the fire with a stick. Eilonwy and Gurgi sat next to Fflewddur. Taran sat with the adventure group with Doli sitting on his shoulder. All of them were unsure about what they should do with the Cauldron, they ponder their problem.

"What a bunch of blundering misfits!" Doli huffed. "Things never work out when you're dealing with people!" he then faced Taran. "You can go back to feeding pigs! I've had it! Goodbye!"

"Oh, Doli, don't leave." Mo frowned, but it was too late.

Doli turned invisible and flew back to the Fair Folk realm.

"Jeez... With friends like that, right?" shrugged Lionel.

"Fantastic." Cherry deadpanned.

"Doli's right. It's my fault!" Taran soon said. "I let you down! Without my sword I'm nothing! I'm just an Assistant Pig-Keeper!"

"Look, you are somebody!" Eilonwy comforted him. "You must believe in yourself! I believe in you."

"You, you do! And I think that you're--" Taran replied before he soon held her hands. "Uh, I mean... That is--" he then drew his hands away in embarrassment.

"Yes, Taran?" Elionwy replied hopefully.

"Is he going to confess some feelings?" Cherry asked in shock.

"This early?" asked Lionel. "...Probably not..."

Atticus seemed indifferent to the situation.

"I'm telling you, he's been acting funny since after he jumped into the moat with Hen Wen," Cherry told Mo and Lionel. "I've known Atticus longer than any of you, so I think I know when something's up."

"That's fair," replied Lionel. "Perhaps we ought to ask him?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Cherry said. "Hopefully soon though."

Mo nodded from that as that sounded good enough.

"He does seem different somehow..." Darla replied. "Also, I don't remember him bringing the Sword of Harmony with him."

"That's another good point." Mo had to admit.

However, before anything else could happen, some gwythaints came swooping around the cauldron.

"Uh-oh! Trouble!" said Gurgi. "Goodbye!" and he scurried off into the woods.

Lionel shrugged. "Saw _that_ one coming..."

Taran turned to the group. "Quick! We can't let them find it!" he instructed before the Henchmen burst out of the brush holding spears.

"Pig boy!" They shouted as they surrounded our heroes.

Taran, Princess Eilonwy, Mary Ruth, Fflam, and their friends were soon taken back to the Horned King's castle - minus Gurgi, who had fled at first sight of the gwythaints. The King's courtroom was filled with the lifeless skeleton warriors. 

Creeper was on a platform with the Black Cauldron, yelling out orders. "Get a move on! Careful now! You! Tie them up over there and get that cart out of here!" he screamed, before turning to our heroes. "Oh, I'm sorry. I've ignored you. You did come for the Black Cauldron? Good, then climb right in! It'll only cost you your life!"

"No thanks, uggo," Cherry retorted as Creeper saw the Horned King coming.

"Oh! Everything is ready, sire!" Creeper exclaimed to his master.

The Horned King smirked at his apparent victory. "My, such a brave and handsome crew! A pig-boy, a scullery maid, some would-be heroes, and a broken-down minstrel! Perhaps it may interest you to see what fate has in store for you!" he laughed. "Now I call upon the army of the dead! The Cauldron-Borne!" he grabbed one of the skeletons and put it in the Black Cauldron. "Arise, my messengers of death! Our hour has arrived!"

The Cauldron began to shake and started leaking blood. It spat a huge ball of fire and produced a green mist that settled over the rotting skeletons. The henchmen wanted to get a closer look, when suddenly the skeletons spring to life, now the Cauldron Born, who made their way to the entrance of the castle.

Atticus didn't seem to do anything to help as he seemed to smirk.

"Atticus, what's wrong with you?!" Cherry complained.

Atticus chuckled a bit. "This is better than I thought it would be~..." he then said. "Especially with you coming near The Horned King and Drell isn't here to help any of you."

"Hey, wait a second!" Lionel put two and two together. "Only a _villian_ would say that... So then you're NOT THE REAL ATTICUS!"

"Took ya long enough, Piggy." Atticus smirked.

"AY! DON'T CALL ME PIGGY, YOU BUTTMUNCH!" Lionel snapped. "So who are you? One of Sombra's illusions? Evil counterpart? Defective duplicate?"

"Nope," Atticus smirked before he was shown to be another warlock teen, though a bit younger than the main adventure group with short brown hair with lime-green eyes. "Consider this a message from my dear Aunt Della."

"Aunt Della?" The group asked.

"Yes," The warlock teen smirked. "Hexter's the name. Aunt Della's favorite nephew."

"Hester?" Cherry asked. "I guess your parents really wanted a girl."

 _"Hex_ ter _,_ you idiot! _Hex_ ter!" The warlock teen glared from the misnaming. "I wish I could stay, but I should get back home to let Aunt Della know how perfectly her plan worked out for me to test it out while she called in the Horned King for a favor when that pig and your so-called best friend were captured by him." he then smirked as he went to leave via smoke cloud with a wicked laugh.

"Oh, no you don't, you little troll!" Lionel snapped as he conjured a magic-proof vacuum and sucked up Hexter. Shortly after, he corked the vacuum shut. "You wanted to see the Cauldron's power? Then here! Ya got yourself a front-row seat!"

"You can't do this to me!" Hexter's voice muffled.

"I think he just did." Darla smirked.

"You know, you're kinda cute for a mortal," Hexter's voice then said. "Maybe if ya let me out, I'll forget all this ever happened, then you and me can go see a movie. How 'bout it, Doll Face?"

"Ugh! Not on your life!" Darla then grimaced. "Especially after you impersonated my big brother!"

"Yeah, and our best pal!" Lionel added as he angrily shook the bag up and down like a snowglobe. "Take THAT, you little degenerate!"

Hexter soon screamed out in misfortune.

We soon see Gurgi entering the castle through the water gate, watching all the rats scurry away.

"Oh! It's horrible!" Elionwy gasped.

"My phantom warriors have come to life!" The Horned King grinned. "All dead from centuries past! Never has anyone created an army like this! Go forth my deathless warriors! Destroy all in your path!"

"Come, Sire! We can get a better view from above!" Creeper suggested as he led the Horned King to the balcony overlooking the drawbridge.

While Creeper led the Horned King to the parapets above; Taran, Eilonwy, Cherry, Mo, Darla, and Fflewddur looked hopelessly at one another while Lionel gave Hexter a taste of laser-guided karma.

"Oh, Taran!" Elionwy frowned. "I'm afraid it'll soon be over for us."

"I-I hadn't planned it to end like this, Eilonwy." Taran replied.

"Oh, I wish I'd stayed a toad!" Fflam sulked.

"Question, though," said Lionel. "Where are Atticus and Hen Wen? Start talking, or I make with more shaking!"

"I ain't talkin'." Hexter said.

"Uh, Lionel, if I may?" Darla spoke up to step in before she brought out a special scepter.

Lionel pondered. "Well... Alright, then," he replied. "I'm nothing if not fair."

"Moon Power Make-Up!" Darla called out, twirling her scepter a bit, turning it into a Moon Staff as she soon turned into Sailor Moon and shot the vacuum at Hexter to give him more pain until he would spill the beans.

"Augh! What was that?!" Hexter cried out.

"In the name of the moon, until you tell me where my big brother is, I _WILL_ PUNISH YOU!" Darla glared.

"Feisty... I like that..." Hexter smirked.

"Guess if you won't talk... Maybe I'll put some bees in there!" Lionel snapped his fingers, and the vacuum was soon filled with bees.

Hexter yelled out.

"No! Not the bees!" Cherry smirked a bit cockily.

"Ugh... That is so lame..." Hexter groaned.

"TALK!" Cherry demanded. "You're only making it worse for yourself!"

"Maybe I put porcupine in there!" said Lionel in a Russian accent. "And fire ants, and wasps, and--"

"FINE!" Hexter snapped. "He's rotting in a dungeon where The Horned King sent him after that fat pig was captured along with him at the moat."

"And that Sword of Harmony?" Cherry asked.

"A little thing called Illusion Magic that Aunt Della taught me from an old friend of hers who came from The Wasteland." Hexter replied.

Lionel scowled angrily at him. "Just for that... You get a one-way trip to the Gray Area!" he remarked.

"No way! I can't go there!" Hexter cried out.

"Maybe if we're lucky, Sergeant Slater will be there too when Sabrina was forced to go to Magic Boot Camp with that mess and her witch's license." Cherry remarked.

"Sorry, you should've thought of that BEFORE you messed with my friend!" Lionel retorted. "Or maybe I ought to leave you in Troll Valley! You know they just _love_ to bash witches!"

"Either way, you deserve to be sent away... You slug..." Mary Ruth glowered. "If my powers were more developed, I'd make you wish you never met me."

"Yeah, well, you're just a wannabe!" Hexter snorted. "You'll all surrender to Della! Especially you, Red! No one wants you around and no one ever will!"

"LEAVE MY GRANDMOTHER ALONE!"' Cherry soon snapped, having enough of Mary Ruth being talked down to before she gave Hexter a swift kick, sending him flying in the air.

"Pipe down, you little snot!" Lionel added, before blasting him away. "Hope you like Trolls, cuz they sure won't like you!"

"Okay then..." sighed Mo. "We need to find Atticus and Hen-Wen, and then stop the Cauldron!"

Mary Ruth held onto Cherry's arm before she ran off.

"Oh, uh, hey, Mary Ruth." Cherry said to her.

"So you are from the future." Mary Ruth smirked.

"How... How did you know?" Cherry asked.

"Witches have a special sense that reminds them of people they know in the future when they end up time-traveling back into the past," Mary Ruth smirked. "Thanks for sticking up for me like that. I think I really needed it."

"I love you, Grandma." Cherry said softly.

"I love you too, Scuzzlebutt," Mary Ruth smiled, hugging her before smirking firmly. "Now let's go get your friends back."

"Yes, ma'am!" Cherry saluted.

And so, the group headed down to the dungeon as the chaos raged above their heads.

Atticus played a crystallized harmonica as he felt trapped as he was unable to break himself out.

"Atticus?" Cherry's voice muffled. "That you?"

"Cherry?" Atticus replied. "How do I know that's really you?"

"Um... Uh..." Cherry stammered. "Okay... My full name is--"

There was a bunch of loud noises in the background which muffled out her voice.

"Cherry!" Atticus beamed. "It is you! Unfortunately, I can't break out. I don't know why I can't though, something's blocking my god strength somehow."

"It was Della's wretched little nephew who did this," replied Lionel. "Hang on, though; we'll have you out in two shakes of a tyrannosaurus tail."

"Oh, you guys... Thank you." Atticus said with strong relief.

"Think nothing of it, old chum!" Lionel replied as he turned the wall into wrapping paper and tore through it. "Anything for a friend!"

Atticus soon came on out. "So, Della has a nephew?" he then asked.

"Apparently his name is Hexter, but I feel like we won't have to worry about him for a while." Cherry replied before hugging her best friend.

"Mm... I'm so glad to see you guys again." Atticus beamed.

"You and me both!" Lionel replied. "That Horned King creep activated the Cauldron, and now we have an undead army to tangle with!"

"Oh, boy..." Atticus sighed. "I guess we're in for a Walking Dead thing..."

"Looks like it." Cherry shrugged.

They soon dashed out of the dungeon and all wore brave faces, though Darla felt nervous about fighting the undead.

* * *

Suddenly, Taran heard a loud breathing sound. "Gurgi? Gurgi, is that you?" he asked.

At once, the hairy little creature showed himself. "Master!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, it's you." muttered Lionel.

"Gurgi, what are you doing here?" asked Taran.

"Gurgi sorry he always runs away when there's trouble," said Gurgi. "He untie everyone! Then we leave this evil place!"

"Well, get on with it!" replied Fflam.

"Yes! Get on with it!" Cherry's voice said before showing her and the others. "Sorry... Fell asleep watching Monty Python."

"Good boy, Gurgi!" Taran told Gurgi as he was now free. "Eilonwy, you go with Fflewddur, Atticus, Cherry, Darla, Lionel, Mo, and Gurgi. I must stop the Cauldron." he then started climbing to a balcony that overlooked the cauldron.

"Oh, but Taran that's impossible!" Elionwy said. "Why you'd be--" she then saw Taran ready to throw himself into the Cauldron. "Taran!!"

"I'm sorry, guys." Taran said.

"No, Taran, you don't have to do this!" Darla yelped.

"My mind is made up!" Taran replied; he readied himself but Gurgi stood in his way.

"Wait, master! Gurgi not let you jump into Cauldron!" said Gurgi.

Taran glared. "Gurgi, get out of my way!" he told him, 

Gurgi backed up almost to the edge of the balcony. He almost fell in when part of the cobblestones gave way. "Please, master!" The small creature begged. "Not go into evil Cauldron."

"If I don't, we're all lost!" shouted Taran firmly. "Out of my way!"

Gurgi was in tears by this point. "No! Gurgi not let his friend die!" he sniffled as he approached the edge. "Taran has many friends... Gurgi has no friends."

"Gurgi, No! Don't jump! Wait! Don't!" exclaimed Taran, but it was too late. 

The hairy little creature had thrown himself into the cauldron, giving his own life to save everyone else.

"Wow..." Atticus whispered.

"He... He did that for us..." Darla added.

"I never knew he'd have it in him." Cherry gasped.

Lionel bowed his head. "And to think... I was so rude to him..." he replied in surprise.

"I know!" Cherry replied with a bit of a broken voice.

* * *

The fire and the green mist were suddenly being sucked back into the cauldron. Outside, the Cauldron Born were staggering and falling into heaps and becoming dusty skeletons once more.

"Sire! Sire, look!" Creeper alerted. "Something's wrong! What is it sire? They're... They're DYING!"

"It can't be!" The Horned King scowled, seizing Creeper by his throat. "This had better not be your fault!"

"It needs another body, Sire!" Creeper suggested.

"Yes!" The Horned King replied. " _YOURS_!"

Taran, Eilonwy, Mary Ruth, Fflam, and the others dashed throughout the corridors and came to the main room where the Cauldron was madly sucking up all the mist and fire, destroying all the evil that it has created.

"Get Eilonwy out of here. Hurry!" Taran told Fflam.

"Taran, I, please, I--" Eilonwy protested. 

Taran wouldn't hear it. "Go on! Go with Fflewddur!" The next line, he said to himself: "Maybe there's still a chance, for Gurgi..."

"For Gurgi..." The others repeated a bit.

Suddenly the Cauldron gabe a mad onrush of air. All the torches blow out and Taran was being dragged toward the Cauldron, hungry for more innocent lives. Taran saw a iron handle on the wall. Desperately, he reached for it and held on tight. Then the Horned King charged downstairs from his balcony above with Creeper in his clutches.

"No, Sire! Please!" Creeper cried out.

"Get up!" The Horned King demanded to the Cauldron Born. "Come alive!!"

"Maybe they're only resting, Sire!!" Creeper said nervously before looking to the Cauldron Born in a panic. "DO SOMETHING! My life is at stake!"

"Get up you fools! KILL!" The Horned King snarled as Creeper suddenly spied Taran holding onto the iron handle, doing his best to keep himself from being sucked into the Black Cauldron as the others began to help him out a little.

"Look! Sire, look!" Creeper soon blabbed it all. "It's the PIG BOY! It's HIS fault! Yes! _He's_ the cause of it! And those friends of his!"

The Horned King tossed Creeper away from him as he moved toward Taran and his friends, promising himself that they would be the next victims of the Black Cauldron. "You've interfered for the last time..." he snarled.

Creeper cackled with glee. "Go for the throats, Sire!" he whooped.

"Now, Pig Keeper... You shall all die!" shouted the Horned King angrily.

"He's mad..." Darla shivered nervously.

"Maybe you should go first, Pig Girl." The Horned King mocked her.

"No thanks, how about YOU?" retorted Lionel.

Taran kicked himself away and tried to escape.

"What's this?!" asked the Horned King, as the Cauldron sucked in a gigantic amount of air, causing the villain to move closer the Cauldron. "No, you'll not escape!" he seized Taran and looked him in the eye. "You _will_ satisfy the Cauldron's hunger!" He then tossed Taran toward the Cauldron. 

Taran, too weak to move, laid still. Pleased with his work, the Horned King made his way toward the staircase leading to his balcony. Taran, seeing that he was leaving, crawled away from the Cauldron. Eilonwy, Mary Ruth, and Fflewddur watched nervously from a parapet above. The Cauldron was not pleased seeing its revenge escaping; It made another huge onrush of air, causing the Horned King to slip closer to the Cauldron.

"This isn't looking good for you," Atticus smirked. "Hm... This adventure feels a bit short. Is it just me?"

"Guess you just had fun with it." Cherry said to him.

The Horned King soon realized what the Cauldron was doing. "No! You'll not have me! My power cannot die!" he cried out as he realized it was now too late. "Curse you! No! Noo!" he was then holding onto the Cauldron, trying to pull himself away. "Arrrggh!" he then deteriorated in a flash of light and was gone.

Creeper had watched from a parapet above. "Oh, no! H-How horrible! Poor sire! H-He's gone!" he then cried until he realized that his boss was gone and he was not going to be punished whether or not was it his fault. "He's gone! Ha! He's gone! Ha, ha, ha, ha! HE'S Gone!~" he then sang happily as he hobbled away.

The Cauldron's onrush of air had then stopped. Now it had turned a molten gold and was causing the floor to collapse.

"Celebrate later!" said Lionel. "Time to GO!"

"Fflewddur! Mary Ruth! Eilonwy!" called Taran as the group ran through the crumbling castle.

"Over here! Hurry!" Eilonwy shouted.

Taran smiled. "Thank goodness you're safe! C'mon, Fflewddur! Hurry!"

* * *

They ran throughout the crumbling castle. Pillars crumbled before their eyes and the floors behind them started collapsing.

"For sake's alive!" exclaimed Fflam.

They came to a spot where the floor had split. Taran & Atticus jumped over first, then Lionel, Darla, Mo & Eilonwy, next Mary Ruth and Cherry. Fflewddur didn't like the idea.

"C'mon, Fflewddur!" Taran encouraged. "Jump!"

Fflewddur made it safely across and they bolted down a hallway. They came to the sewer of the castle, where a boat sat waiting.

Eilonwy pointed. "Taran. Look!" she exclaimed.

Taran smiled. "Good! Get in." he picked up a pole. "Here! Your job, Fflewddur!"

Fflewddur started pulling them toward the exit when he noticed a locked gate blocking their path. "Uh-oh! Trouble!" he then cried out.

"Oh! We can't get through!" Elionwy yelped.

"I-I'll try to open the gate." Taran suggested as he jumped out of the boat, into the water.

"I'll help out." Atticus said, going to join him.

"Be careful, guys!" Elionwy and Mo cried out.

Atticus and Taran soon broke the rusty chains easily and opened the gate.

"There we go," Atticus said. Okay, gang, now push the boat through!"

"C'mon Fflewddur! Hurry!" Elionwy yelped.

With Taran and Atticus still in the water, they soon helped push the boat through the exit until they were being helped out.

"Good job, lad!" Fflam smiled until he suddenly saw that the ceiling was going to give way. With one final heave, he pulled Taran and Atticus into the boat. "Look o-o-ou-u-ut-t-t!" he then screamed.

The others soon yelped out as this was it. The ceiling caved in just as the companions make it into the exit tunnel. A huge wave of water flushed them out of the castle and capsized their boat. The castle exploded, the towers crumbled and the rubble sank into the bubbling water. Taran, Princess Eilonwy, Mary Ruth, Fflewddur Fflam, and the others barely made it out of the castle. As Fflewddur pulled the boat to shore, Creeper laughed with mad joy that the Horned King couldn't punish him. Creeper managed to free a gwythaint, and they flew away never to be seen again. The castle crumbled to bits.

* * *

The group soon made it to shore as Darla hugged up against Mo, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"It's okay, Darla, it's okay..." Mo soothed.

"Look!" Taran pointed out as he soon saw something. It was the Black Cauldron, happily bubbling about atop the water, for it had itsfill on lives, and its evil is joyous about it.

Taran and Atticus rushed through the water, then stopped. A wind picked up and the clouds roll in, carrying familiar laughter. "Gurgi?!" the two gasped to each other.

"Why is the poor duckling so sad?" Orgoch asked.

"Yes, he got what they wanted and he's still not satisfied!" Orddu added.

"Just what do you think you're up to, ladies?" Fflam asked.

"Oh, we have business with your little hero." Orddu replied.

"Hero?" Taran replied. "Gurgi was the hero!"

"That's right." Atticus added.

"The only thing that mattered to you was the Cauldron," Orddu replied. "But now it's of no use to you. So we'll just take it, and be on our way!"

"Why would we do that when we never gave anything away, hags?" Mary Ruth scowled.

"Yeah!" Lionel added.

"We bargain, we trade. Remember?" added Fflam.

"Ha, ha! Did these old ears hear the word 'bargain'?" asked Orddu. "Hmm...?"

Fflam nodded. "Yes, madam! Those old ears heard right!"

Orwen gushed with glee. "Ohh! I adore a voiceful man!"

"Oh! Pull yourself together, madam!" exclaimed Fflam. "I say! Out with it! What is your offer?"

Orddu put two and two together. "No! Not the-"

"Then I'll do it!" said Orwen, and the sword magically appeared in front of Taran. "A magnificent sword for a warrior!"

Taran reached out for it, then suddenly drew his hand away. "I'm not a warrior... I'm a pig-boy. What can I do with a sword?" he asked.

"Absolutely nothing!" Orddu remarked, taking the sword back.

"But I will trade!" Atticus spoke up.

"Atticus?!" The others asked in concern.

"YES...?" All of the three witches chorused.

"The Cauldron for Gurgi!" Atticus replied.

"Oh, dear!" Orwen gasped.

"It's not possible!" Orddu added.

"Just as I thought, ladies!" Atticus smirked knowingly. "You've got no real power! Admit it! Admit it!"

The witches were insulted by Atticus's remark. They disappeared into a whirlwind and circled around the Cauldron.

"We have made a bargain!" Orddu said.

"What have you done?" Darla yelped.

"Trust me!" Atticus replied.

The wind funneled in front of Taran, Eilonwy, and the others. Suddenly it disappeared and the still body of Gurgi laid on the ground. Taran quietly walked forward and picked up Gurgi's corpse. He turned around and faced his friends.

"Oh, Taran...!" Eilonwy sniffed.

Taran's eyes filled with tears and he hugged Gurgi's body before he quickly turned away. 

Suddenly a little paw slipped into his vest as if in search of an apple. "Munchings and crunchings in here somewhere...!" said a familiar voice.


	6. Chapter 6

Taran was surprised. "Gurgi! Y-You're alive!" he exclaimed.

"He's alive!" exclaimed Eilonwy.

"Welcome back, you hairy little mug!" Lionel chuckled.

"Great Belin! He IS alive!" exclaimed Fflam.

"Fflewddur! Fflewddur! He's alive!" cheered Mary Ruth, before turning to Cherry. "Not bad, Scuzzlebutt. We did it."

"I'm alive!" Gurgi laughed as he danced around with Lionel. "Gurgi's alive! Look! Look! Look! Touch me! Oh! Ho, ho!"

"I told you it would all work out." Atticus smiled.

"You big nerd..." Cherry said, though she looked grateful that he helped out like he did.

Atticus smiled bashfully from that.

"Oh, Gurgi!" Elionwy giggled. "You clever little thing!"

Gurgi was between Taran and Eilonwy who are hugging him. He flashed a crafty smile and pushed Eilonwy and Taran together which resulted in a kiss. The others shared a laugh from that.

"C'mon, Gurgi!" Taran smiled. "Let's go home!"

"Oh! Gurgi's Happy day!" Gurgi ran forward and grabbed Taran's hand as the boy looked at Eilonwy and held out his hand to her before she then took it.

Then Eilonwy held her hand out to Fflam and he took it.

"Great Belin! Ha!" Fflam beamed.

"Let's go see Dallben." Darla suggested.

"Sounds like a plan!" Lionel replied as he pointed, zapping them all to Dallben's dwelling.

* * *

**_Back at Caer Dallben..._ **

"Wow, that was fast." Drell told Atticus, Cherry, Mo, Darla, and Lionel as he kept track of the time of when they were gone to when thy came back.

"You did well, my boy!" Dallben beamed as Hen Wen seemed to be smiling at what she saw.

"Yuuuuuup! Ha, ha, ha! Doli laughed.

"Really?" asked Lionel. "It felt at least like a day and a half..."

"That's what I mean, usually takes you guys a bit longer, but at least you're safe and happy," Drell replied. "Uh... Cherry, is that...?"

"Grandma? Yes." Cherry nodded.

"Hi, Mary Ruth, how are yoooou?!" Drell greeted until he was suddenly pinned down to the ground with her boot on his chest in a firm way.

"That's for bullying my little Michelle as a child," Mary Ruth glared, leaning in darkly to him. "She may be adopted and not a real witch, but she's still one of my daughters."

Drell wheezed. "I'm sorry... Please take your boot off my windpipe...!" he choked out.

Mary Ruth continued to press on.

"You're killing me!" Drell gasped. "Heeeelp!"

"Okay, Grandma, stop before you kill him!" Cherry said. "...No matter how much I would enjoy that."

Mary Ruth soon let go and backed off of Drell. Drell coughed and rubbed his throat.

"I forgot to mention before, but it's an honor to meet you," Lionel said to Mary Ruth. "Your granddaughter has made me the happiest man in the world."

"I'm sure Scuzzlebutt has," Mary Ruth smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you too, Lionel. You guys can visit me in The Other Realm if you'd like. I kept my old cottage from when Cherry was a baby and I'm usually baking pies. She often sees me in times of stress or need."

Lionel jotted that down. "Got it; maybe I'll bring the kids around sometime." he replied.

"That would be nice," Mary Ruth replied. "Just don't mind the Lambchop, Sesame Street, and Mr. Rogers posters, but Cherry was a baby back when I was around all the time and she used to love those shows."

"I'll keep that in mind." smiled Lionel.

"And as for you..." Mary Ruth said, grabbing a hold of Cherry, hugging her suddenly. "I'm so proud of you, my little Scuzzlebutt~"

"Thanks, Grandma..." Cherry muffled. "I'll see you in the future. It was good to see you here, I wasn't expecting it, especially with Atticus's ancestor here... Speaking of which, how _old_ are you?"

"A lady never gives her age." Mary Ruth smirked before letting go.

Lionel chuckled. "You really _are_ her grandmother... Got her sense of humor, too," he replied. "See you in the future."

"See you then." Mary Ruth waved to them.

"All right, gather 'round, munchkins; I'll take you home." Drell told the group, gathering them around to send them back home.

"Okay," replied Atticus.

Taran, Eilonwy, Fflam, and the others waved as Drell and the group vanished back to the present day, back in the living room.

* * *

Ambrose was sleeping soundly, and Salem was sprawled in front of the TV, watching 60's _Batman_.

"It's pretty goofy, sure, but that Julie Newmar..." The cursed warlock purred. "Not to mention she's got a rump that just won't quit."

"Nice to see you watching quality television, Salem." Cherry said.

"GAH!" Salem yelped, hopping high in the air, clutching the ceiling. "Cherry, I hate it when you sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry." Cherry smirked.

Ambrose woke up at that, and laughed as he saw his father.

"Hey, 'Brose," Drell waved to his son. "Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes."

"Adam West Batman?" asked Lionel. "Not bad, not bad at all."

"Yeah, it was the only decent thing I could find at this hour," Salem said as he soon came back onto the couch. "It was either that or reruns of Norm MacDonald's sitcom that no one remembers."

"Norm MacDonald had a sitcom?" Cherry asked.

"See what I mean?" Salem smirked.

"Still more memorable than that _'Friends'_ spin-off," shrugged Mo.

"It had a spin-off?" asked Atticus.

"No further questions, Your Honor." smirked Mo.

"Meh..." Drell shrugged as he sat down with them, holding Ambrose in his lap.

Cherry took out her phone to see a text from her mother before shrugging it off.

"What is it?" Atticus asked.

"Eh... Old friend of my mother's is coming in town with her kids and I gotta show 'em around town." Cherry shrugged.

"Cool!" replied Lionel. "I'll come with ya. Should be fun."

"When are they coming?" Mo asked.

"Sometime next week." Cherry replied.

"If they're mortals, keep them away from me." Drell warned.

"Relax, it's Samantha Stephens." Cherry told him.

"Ah... Okay..." Drell replied. "I remember her mother, Endora Morelli... She always tried to get my mother's job when SHE ran the Witch's Council."

"Interesting..." remarked Lionel.

"Yeah, when my mom was a kid in the Witch World, it was hard to make friends sometimes," Cherry said. "I guess at least she met Samantha."

"I guess one friend is better than no friends," said Lionel. "Sometimes one friend is plenty."

"Just remember that you always have us." Atticus smiled to him.

"I'll always remember that." Lionel replied.

Drell hid a small smile as he admired their friendship and hoped that someday his son would make some friends like that.

"Alright... Let's go," replied Lionel. "Can't put this off any longer."

"But we just got back hoooome." Cherry whined a bit.

Lionel rolled his eyes. "Well... Okay," he smiled. "We can take a little break."

"You guys remember when those transfer students came to school once?" Drell chuckled.

"You wanna be more specific?" Atticus asked.

"Those kids who had a ghost friend," Drell replied. "Skip Glroy, April Stewart, and Augie Anderson."

"Oh, yeah..." Cherry said. "That was quite the Halloween."

"Definitely." Lionel nodded.

"What made you think of them?" Cherry asked.

"I guess that ghost on TV." Drell pointed out to a commercial for Michelin tires.

"Uh, Drell? That's The Michelin Man," Cherry replied. "He's not a ghost."

"I think I know a ghost when I see one, Cherry." Drell retorted as he held onto Ambrose.

"He's made of tires." replied Lionel.

"Ghost." Drell said.

"Ugh..." The others groaned from that.

"Okay, fine, he's a ghost, you win." Cherry rolled her eyes.

Drell smirked proudly at that as he burped Ambrose.

"We'll just let him have this." shrugged Lionel.

"Why not?" Cherry sighed, collapsing in the middle of the floor. "We're not students anymore anyway..."

Lionel picked her up in his arms, bridal-style. "I'll take us home," he said. "Quick clarification, are we still living with your parents, or do we have our own place?"

"We're still with them for a little while," Cherry replied. "Still need to get some foundation for our own place."

"Ah, right," Lionel nodded. "Got it."

"See ya guys later." Cherry said.

"See ya, Cherry and Lionel." The others replied.

The two left for home, hoping to wind down after a particularly long two days of adventuring. So until next time...

The End


End file.
